Tommorrow my boys turn 8!!!!!

[Purl]

I know I'm new here and all, but I just feel like shouting out to the whole world "MY BOYS ARE EIGHT!!!!!"

I won't go into the whole long saga-but I was told they would both die before a viable age in the pregnency. Then after they were born almost 3 month premature I was told they were to sick to survive. We were also told that one may be paralyzed or need his legs amputated. Later on one was misdiagnosed with a rare lung disease that usu kills a child if they don't recieve a lung transplant. A few years ago they were both diagnosed with autism. It's been a long hard emotional road. One paved with tears, potato chips, red wine, hidden candy wrappers, sleepless nights, late night binge trips to the fridge and depression.

BUT-

What better way to celebrate that they are ALIVE than with LIVE foods???!!!

Yes, Jan 1 is both their birthday-and the start of a new begining. A raw foods, healthy life style begining. I am making them a raw birthday cake and for teh first time in a long time I couldn't be happier!

[truthseeker]

CONGRATS TO YOU ALL!!!! And HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUR CHILDREN !!!

What a great Mom you are!

[NFrawRUNNER]

Congrats on all accounts! Children are truly a blessing (I have 5!!! guess I've been blessed a lot!!!lol) My 2 girls are actually adopted. My 3 boys are not....but they are "ALL MINE :) !

I am interested in hearing how well your family transitions to raw as I am attempting the same in my household. I have asked/TOLD them that (to start) 1 meal per day must be 100% raw. I know I should not be a dictator mom but how else can I MAKE them try???? My girls want to go completely raw but I still think they should transition don't you? I have been raw since August of 2005 and am ready to not be embarrassed or cover it up anymore! My NYR is to be proud of who I am!!!! NO ONE around this neck of the woods has even heard of raw foods!!! but I'll break them in!

on a personal note I would really love to hear how your boys transition. Are they both autistic? I am a special ed. teacher + feel diet plays a key role in eradicating autism, a point I try to gently discuss with parents....I would love to have documented living proof from YOU ;)

Best of luck! Keep us posted!
"Di"

[Purl]

Thank you truthseeker and diantha.

Yes-since you are involved w/ spec ed you will probably understand their true dx: PDD-NOS with explosive disorder. Yes-they both have it. They are identical twins. My 3rd child has no sign at all, his only problem is a speech impediment-and runny nose. My 4th child, a girl, has some signs, was delayed in both speech and gross motor skills, but for the most part is a happy-go-lucky child.

The twins have been on different medications over the years, the school will not help, regardless of their dx, because they do not tantrum at school and they each have made 1 or 2 friends.

This last week something very strange happened-the whole family got the stomach flu. I wasn't ablet o give them their meds for 3 days. The didn't eat hardly at all for 3 days. They are COMPLETELY different children! Last night I nearly cried-the one who is more on the spectrum-sat next to me, looked me in the eye, smiled, put his head on my shoulder, and told me a funny joke he'd heard on the tv. He expressed that he was surprised that he "got" the joke. He had AWESOME eye contact for the whole evening. When he and his younger bro had a disagreement, he listened to his bro, then pleaded his case, and they WORKED OUT A COMPROMISE!!!!! He has been smiling more-his face looks HAPPY-that never happened before. He was the world's biggest grouch. He finally seems confortable in his own skin for the first time in his whole life! The other twin, who isn't quite as intense, he hasn't had one diagreement in 2 days. 2x he's raised his voice to me and I've asked to repeat his request in a polite tone, he immediately has.

MY HOUSE HAS NEVER BEEN SO PEACEFUL!!!!!!

anyway-sorry for the book-but I'm gonna put them CFGF, first, and add in raw foods-til I can get them 80-100% raw. I'M SO EXCITED!!!

[tvillemom]

Purl, thanks for your story. I have 3 children, and I am very blessed to say that they are all healthy. Even though my oldest is ADHD...I know I can encourage RAW foods, healthy, living foods, and they will become healthier. I won't push them into my lifestyle, but I will encourage them to try everything I'm eating, in hopes that they will grow to appreciate the taste of it. Best of luck. Your story made me cry. I'm so glad your boys beat the odds. By the way....One of my best friends in the whole world is named Pearl. She is an awesome woman of God. She has 3 children, 2 of which have a terminal illness called Batons disease. It is generic, (your children start out healthy, and then decline as the years pass...blindness, seizures, their brain litterally starts to "not function") and you really only have 1 in a milliion chance of having a child that has it...and she has 2. Her children will only live into their early 20's...but we are believing God for the miracle he promised!! I hope you have an awesome 8th birthday with your boys....our children are miracles, aren't they.
Wendi

[bellamausi]

a truly HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Thanks for sharing you story, it's wonderful to hear they are doing so well! I would love to hear about their progress. :)

[NFrawRUNNER]

I am intrigued with the changes in children with autism through dietary changes. I have a student with autism that I KNOW is affected from his current SAD but it puts me in an awkward position with the family to make such suggestions...I've tried a bit. Mom is interested but too afraid to change because (of course) he will only eat certain things....processed bread type things of course.....any suggestions or good web sites???? Maybe I should just stay out of it but it is so hard to bite my tongue....then there are "the others" of my students labeled LD/MR/OHI/SLI/et....including ADHD (a label I despise!)...some drugged up, etc.... It often makes me question my professionalism and career choice because I just have to keep my mouth shut and plug away.....but I digress....My son has neurofibromatosis...something I can explain later....in a nutshell it's a tumor producing condition....I'm tired of waiting forr scientists/doctors to "find a treatment or cure" and wonder if this is the way to go????? He (Joshua) is VERY PICKY and shuns fruits and veggies so I end up FORCING him....real good mom right???? HELP
Di

[Purl]

I can only speak for myself here-but there was a woman who really incouraged me to try the GFCF diet. She encouraged me so much that she became a big pest about it. The problem was-I was SO stressed out that I truly truly truly could not do ONE MORE THING. I'm sure I was depressed-and so completely overwhelmed by thier dx, and their behavior, and I had just had baby #3 that year too. I had no support from my family-they called the boys "brats" to their faces! Since the spring, when I stopped homeschooling them, life has eased up a bit. I have room to breath. Then dh got 2 raises and a promotion at work. So financially we finaly above poverty (not far above, but above), and I've had time to "fix" our life. I have time to read and learn and figure out stuff. SO much, no ALL of my energy went into SURVIVING my life each day. I really mean it. It sounds dramatic, but even just the phone ringing felt overwhleming. I'm sorry to pour my guts out to ya-I'm trying to say why some parents just cannot hear it, or stomach it right now. There will probably come a time when things ease up, and the fog lifts a little-and then she may be mroe recpetive to listening to you about it.
Also-there are gluten free breads out there. They cost about $5-6 a loaf at whole foods. At our local wholefoods they keep the gluten free breads in a somewhat obsure section. I couldn't find it, so I asked the baker and he showed them to me. The site I've been looking at is www.gfcfdiet.com
HTH

[Ariannah]

Happy birthday to your boys! And a happy new year to you!

[Purl]

Thank you! It's been a great day! We took a 2 hour walk in woods and spotted rabbit, fox, bobcat, coyote and even BEAR tracks in the snow. It was awesome. Oh yeah-I fed them their raw cake for breakfast and gave them raw lunch. The kinda liked it, but weren't amazed at my uncooking abilities. This is day 6 with no fist fights or meltdowns. I feel like a new woman! LOL! They are so HAPPY-I love it!

[NFrawRUNNER]

Thank you for the advice...It is definately overwhelming to hear how extensive dietary changes bring about...I'll continue to take "baby steps" ;) BTW today is my husband's birthday too!
Di

[Purl]

HaPpY BiRtHdAy to Diantha's Hubby!

[NFrawRUNNER]

Have you seen/read this before?...INSPIRATIONAL!

http://www.shazzie.com/raw/transformation/jaime.shtml